Transit upgrades to include vehicle locaters

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Details were announced Tuesday on city transit improvements coming down the road for Kamloops.

Modern technology, improved infrastructure, plus newer and cleaner buses, top the list of B.C. Transit projects for Kamloops soon to roll out under phase one of the new Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.

The announcement follows in the tracks of $160 million in federal and provincial funding for B.C. Transit projects agreed to in June by Premier Christy Clark and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

B.C. Transit and the City have prioritized technology enhancements that will pave the way for a better customer experience from beginning to end. Modernized buses will include closed-circuit TV to increase the safety of passengers and drivers, real-time information about where buses are located to make service more convenient and automatic passenger counters that will enable B.C. Transit to optimize service delivery.

Kamloops buses will be equipped with automatic vehicle locators that provide real-time information to passengers about where the bus is located at any time of the day, enabling transit riders to more conveniently plan their trips. Vehicle location technology will also improve operating efficiencies by providing transit operations with real-time route and service information.

Stone indicated the technology upgrades will occur over the next couple of years.

Kamloops is also receiving another 19 compressed natural gas buses to add to its fleet of cleaner, more efficient buses. The new vehicles will come online next year to replace older diesel buses. CNG-fuelled buses reduce operating costs for B.C. Transit and for Kamloops as the fuel is less expensive and has a smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional transit vehicles.

The fleet upgrades come after handyDART service in Kamloops by an extra 2,000 hours beginning in September.